Our research focuses on the functioning and evolution of horticultural systems in the context of climate change and the reduction in the use of inputs (water, fertilisers, phytosanitary products). This context places the plant in sub-optimal growth conditions, with limited availability of resources and attacks by bio-aggressors. Moreover, innovative cropping systems can profoundly modify environmental conditions, either towards an extreme artificialisation of environments (vertical farms, urban agriculture, etc.) or, on the contrary, towards a complexification of environmental conditions (agrivoltaics, agroforestry, etc.), (CQFD Axe team).

   The axis' project is in line with our previous work to better understand and improve resource use efficiency and plant resilience to (a)biotic constraints. Within this framework, the axis is structured around three main research themes (Figure 3) that focus on i) resource acquisition and allocation, ii) fruit growth and quality, and iii) plant defence. These different aspects contribute to a better understanding of the growth/defence/quality trade-offs under the effect of G x E x P interactions. All of this work is based on essentially analytical experiments and on modelling as a tool for integrating the different processes, on time steps ranging from one hour to one season and on the scale of the cell to that of the diversified stand. Methodological developments are also being carried out to improve the phenotyping of the objects/functions studied (biochemical composition, cell structure, in situ flow measurements, proxidetection, etc.).

Keywords: ecophysiology, growth, quality, defense, metabolism, allocation, plant, fruit, (a)biotic constraints, modeling

1. Resources acquisition and et allocation

2. Growth and organ composition

3. Understanding the effects of the abiotic environment on the immunity of horticultural plants